The Senate and Congress have sent President Bush the Iraq spending bill that he's promised to veto. We hear about the debate, the "surge," timetables for troop withdrawal, and the importance of public opinion. Also, the UN criticizes Maliki government over Iraq's increasing violence and, on Reporter's Notebook, a committee of Congress has subpoenaed Condoleezza Rice to testify about the justification for war. She's not inclined to comply.

FROM THIS EPISODE

The Senate and Congress have sent President Bush the Iraq spending bill that he's promised to veto. We hear about the debate, the "surge," timetables for troop withdrawal, and the importance of public opinion. Also, the UN criticizes Maliki government over Iraq's increasing violence and, on Reporter's Notebook, a committee of Congress has subpoenaed Condoleezza Rice to testify about the justification for war. She's not inclined to comply.

The United Nations reports that things are
"rapidly worsening" for Iraqis, with violence on the increase as well
as the government's practice of forcing confessions from prisoners by
torture.The UN criticized the Maliki
government for not releasing a count of civilian casualties, but the Los Angeles
Times has obtained its own figures from various ministries, as we hear from
Tina Susman who's in Baghdad for the Times.

After House approval last night, the Senate today passed
the Iraq spending bill that President Bush has promised to veto.Meantime, today's poll by NBC and the Wall
Street Journal shows 56% to 37% public support for the withdrawal timetables
the President will be rejecting.In a
White House effort to sway votes against the bill, the top commander, in Iraq
gave closed-door briefings to both the House and the Senate.Today General David Petraeus told reporters
the "surge" is making progress.What happens next, when the White House and Congress finally start
working toward compromise? Is the "surge" working?Is the war already "lost" from a
military standpoint or is victory still possible?How important is public opinion?

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is among
those subpoenaed by committees of Congress exerting their "oversight"
function in a way not seen since President Bush was inaugurated in 2001.
Congress wants to know more about the justifications for the war in Iraq, the
firings of US attorneys and White House operatives allegedly mixing politics
with public business.Henry Waxman
(D-CA), who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee says,
"A subpoena is not a request; it's a demand for information." In Oslo, Norway,
Rice says she's already answered Waxman's questions and is not inclined to
comply.Dan Eggen covers Congress for
the Washington
Post.